Art, science mix freely in Santa Barbara museum exhibit

Australian astronomer shot the aurora australis, or southern lights, as part of his 1989 series “Capturing Ancient Light.” The series is part of the new “Heavenly Bodies” exhibit at the Santa Barbara Museum of Art that runs through May 25.

"It's at a place where scientific images become art, and art images have scientific value," Karen Sinsheimer, the museum's curator of photography, explained during a walk-through in late February, just a couple of days before it opened.